Rea recharged after summer break

Kawasaki Racing Team rider Jonathan Rea is feeling re-energised ahead of the last four World Superbike championship events starting with this weekend’s Pirelli German Round at Lausitzring.

While Rea heads to this weekend’s racing 46 points clear at the top of the WSBK rider standings from Kawasaki team-mate Tom Sykes, he will be racing at a circuit that he has never competed at before which makes things interesting.

The last WSBK event was on July 10 at Laguna Seca in the United States where Rea won the first race with his Sykes in second place and in race two Sykes won and Rea did not finish.

In an interview with the official WSBK site, the 29-year-old Rea said he had tried the Lausitzring recently on his own bike as it was important for him to get a feel of the track as the other competitors has done testing at the German circuit.

“I rode at the Lausitzring recently on my own road bike – a Ninja ZX-10R. It was good to get some track time at a new track to me," said Rea. "Our rivals had tested there so it was important to get to know the track.

"It has been such a long summer break. For a few weeks at the start, I enjoyed just being at home and after that, I knuckled down to be in ideal condition for the last few races.

"I really put some effort in at the gym, riding motocross and my bicycle. The last four rounds are an important time and they come along in quick succession. It is important to be razor sharp to give myself the best possible chance through to the end of the year.

"My focus now is to increase the championship lead. Personally, I am looking at the last four races as one block because it is going to go by so fast."